Naruto: The New Frontier
by Fire and Lightning
Summary: The sequel to my other stories - Months had passed since Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi left the Elemental Nations behind to travel with the Atlassian fleet to Atlassia – the homeland of the Unknown or Atlassian people, and a land shrouded in mystery to any outsider. Now they must prepare themselves for their hardest mission yet.
1. Chapter 1

Naruto

The New Frontier

By Fire and Lightning

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. However, this story does not take place in the canon lore of the series. This is a crossover of Naruto and my own series titled "Chris Lynheart". If the reader is annoyed by stories that break away from the actual lore, exit this story immediately.

Naruto Characters: All main characters in early Shippuden. Naruto, Sakura, Kakashi, Ino, Shikamaru, Choji, Kiba, Shino, Hinata, and a few others.

My characters: Any character outside of Naruto lore, as well as any animal species that will come into play later in the story.

Story setting: The first mission against the Akatsuki time period.

Supporting couple: NaruSaku. I'm actually neutral as far as the shipping goes these days because the series has ended and I've moved on from Naruto. However, NS is the only couple that would make sense for this story aside from the relationships in my own books.

Warning! All of my characters are protected by copyright. You may NOT take these characters for your own use!

I will try to upload every weekend. Chapter length will vary

Author's Notes: Hey, everyone! It has been a long time coming, but I'm finally making a comeback to Fanfiction. I know I haven't updated in a long time, and that I disappeared without warning, but things were getting a bit hectic in my life, but I've since gotten past it. I've been wanting to get back to this story for a while now, and hope to recapture the charm and sense of adventure it gave. I apologize if the story doesn't seem as upbeat as the last stories did at first, but give me some time to get back into it. Anyway, if you haven't read my first story, I highly advise you do so. Sakura's journal is also recommended.

That is all for now. Kick back, relax and enjoy a good long read.

 **Chapter 1**

 **Arrival**

Months had passed since Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi left the Elemental Nations behind to travel with the Atlassian fleet to Atlassia – the homeland of the Unknown or Atlassian people, and a land shrouded in mystery to any outsider. Little more than a rumor or a myth was known to most people about Atlassia, but there were a select few that knew the name, and even fewer who knew even the most basic knowledge of the land. No outsider had ever seen the Unknown shores, let alone ever set foot on its beaches, but that would soon change. The former team that made the Leaf's squad seven would soon be the first foreigners to ever see the land and set foot on its soil. Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi have left their previous rankings as ninja behind, and are now Private ranking in the Atlassian military, but have yet to be put under any of the ranking generals or assassins.

Though they managed to pass their training, their time on the Eclipse – the Atlassian Navy's newest Fleet Destroyer tier ship – has not been easy. Since the first minute of boarding the Eclipse, the former ninja went through endless hours of physical, weapons, tactics, formation and infiltration training with little to no time off. During their training, they learned firsthand why the Atlassian military is so feared and highly praised by those who know of it. Even the weakest Atlassian soldier has high moral and is willing to fight for his country and people to his last breath. Even with her chakra enhanced strength, Sakura had trouble holding her ground in sparring matches, and only managed to win eighteen out of two-hundred matches. Were it not for his multiple years of military service and combat experience from the Hidden Leaf Village, Kakashi wouldn't have fared much better. Out of his two-hundred matches, he managed to win forty-five.

Naruto, however, had it the hardest. With his chakra connection severed, he was forced to adjust to the Atlassian combat training without the power of the Nine-tailed fox. This made it beyond difficult for him to adjust, and he was only able to win five sparring matches – the very bare minimum for a recruit to graduate from the beginning stages of basic training. Despite his disadvantages, Sakura – his now beloved girlfriend constantly cheered him on, and urged him to not back down, no matter how hopeless things seemed at times. She had even caught Admiral Lynheart and Night Hawk watching him from time to time, and could tell they were impressed by his willpower alone.

As for Alvis, he spent most of his time with Admiral Lynheart's fiancé, Jessica Holland, who taught him the basics of Atlassian culture, religion, and laws he would need to follow. She made it clear to both he and Sakura that he would have to be put into school once they arrived to the mainland. Military service is mandatory in Atlassia, and the training starts from an age as early as eight. Two years younger than Alvis.

Despite her rarely ever seeing him, Alvis still saw Sakura as his new mother and their relationship strengthened every time they had some time together. It was rarely anything more than a quick lunch or dinner together, or sometimes even a goodnight kiss, but it didn't matter to them. It was still precious time together. Jessica and Sakura also got along relatively well, and Alvis viewed Jessica in an aunt in many ways.

Today, however, was the day the former ninjas left the Eclipse, and set foot on the Atlassian mainland. With only another twenty miles to go, Naruto, Sakura, Kakashi and Alvis, who was sitting on Naruto's shoulders, stood at the front of the ship eagerly awaiting their first glance of the land. Currently, the fleet was in a low fog that lowered visibility, but the outlines of mountains could just be made out through the fog.

The fleet had grown tremendously since they departed from the Elemental Nations. The Eclipse and her fleet of an additional two-thousand ships was joined by two other capital ships. Another fleet destroyer named the "Setting Sun" and its combined fleet of two-thousand ships, and a City Destroyer ship named the "Relentless" combined their fleets with the Eclipse making a fleet of nearly six-thousand ships and well over two-million troops being transported back to Atlassia.

Dragons of all breeds of the Ela species filled the sky by the thousands. Flying at incredible speeds towards the mainland, they escorted the fleet home. Launched from both fleet destroyers and the one-hundred Dragon Carriers spread throughout the fleet, they filled the skies like a giant roaring cloud that more than impressed the former ninja.

As the ship slowly made its way out of the fog with only five miles to go, the Land of the Unknown revealed itself as if emerging from the pages of a fairytale. The sky above was clear with scattered clouds that allowed for maximum visibility. The sight was breathtaking. Before them was the Red Desert. Home to Eath-Vahn, the elemental city of Earth, and one of nine major capital cities that dot the continent. With a rich yet claylike soil, the sands of the Red Desert looked as if a giant Crayola crayon had swept across the land. Gigantic mountains loomed in the background. Most peaks were hidden in the desert haze or clouds that loomed around the mountains, but other peaks were fully visible. The most impressive sight, however, was the port city. Stretching all along the shore for as far as they eye could see, the port city was housing hundreds if not thousands of ships of all different kinds. Cruise ships, trade ships, military ships, and transport ships filled the bay as they waited for their ships to be loaded or unloaded with goods of all kinds.

All over the ship, sailors scurried about, getting to their positions and preparing for docking procedures. Directly ahead of the ship was an opening, and a dock specifically reserved for the Eclipse. Horns blew in the background, ships flashed their lights at each other, and the Eclipse started to drift ahead of the fleet. Several escort frigates came up to the ship from the docks, attached their tow cables, and started to lead the ship to its final destination.

"Oh, man can you believe it?! We're finally going to set foot on our new homeland!" Naruto shouted eagerly.

Sakura smiled and nodded, "I can hardly wait. I wonder what our first assignments will be."

"Who cares? So long as we finally get off this stinking ship I'll be happy." Naruto said.

Sakura rolled her eyes, and looked at Kakashi – who as usual had his nose stuck in a book. She sighed before asking, "Kakashi, don't you ever get tired of reading that same old book all the time? You've surely memorized it word for world by now."

Kakashi tore his attention from the page he was reading to look at Sakura. He smiled behind his mask and closed his eye, "It never hurts to re-read something."

"If you say so, Kakashi." Sakura said. She sighed and turned her attention to Alvis who was still sitting on Naruto's shoulders.

"Hey, what happened to 'Kakashi-Sensei'?" Kakashi asked.

Sakura chuckled and faced Kakashi again, "Because you're no longer a 'sensei', Kakashi. You're a Private in the Atlassian Army. You don't outrank us anymore."

Kakashi stared at Sakura blankly for a moment, then returned his attention to his book, "Well, that was morbid. Thanks, Sakura."

"No problem, Sensei."

Kakashi rolled his eyes to look at Sakura again and stared at her for a few moments. "So that's how it's gonna be, huh?"

Sakura giggled and stuck her tongue out at Kakashi, then walked to the other side of Naruto. She leaned on the railing of the ship and stared at the land before her. "It's beautiful isn't it?"

"I've seen things more beautiful than that." Naruto said.

Sakura smiled, and looked at Naruto, "Oh? And what exactly would you be talking about?"

Naruto laughed, and pointed his thumb over his shoulder, "Oh, I was just thinking about that fancy vas that's in the mess hall. It truly is a beautiful vase."

Sakura narrowed her eyes and playfully punched Naruto's shoulder, "Jerk! That was the wrong answer!"

Naruto chuckled and returned his view to the land ahead. "Man, can't this hunk a junk move any faster?"

Sakura giggled, and gently elbowed Naruto's side, "It's a ship, silly. They're not exactly built for speed."

Just then, a voice called out to the former ninja, and they turned to see Night Hawk standing on a deck above them. "Naruto, Sakura, Kakashi! Your presence is requested by Admiral Lynheart. He wants you on the bridge five minutes ago."

Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi stood at attention and saluted. "Aye, sir!"

"Well, what are you waiting for? MOVE!"

Without a second thought, Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi rushed to the bridge of the Eclipse. Once they arrived, they saw the Admiral, Night Hawk, Jessica and the Admirals of the other capital vessels.

"You wanted to see us, sir?" Sakura asked as she and the others entered the bridge.

Admiral Lynheart turned to face the former ninja, "It's about damn time you three showed up. You're two and a half minutes late. I'm starting to wonder if I should even let you three graduate from basic training."

The former ninja stood in silence.

"Anyway, I want to talk to you about your performances over the last few months. I have to say I expected more from you Leaf ninja. For all the stories I've heard about your village and its military power I had some high expectations for you three. None of you met them."

"B-but sir!" Sakura started.

"Silence!" The Admiral shot back. He took a moment to clear his mind, then continued, "I know our training is on another level compared to what you three may be capable of coping with. But you've had a hard time handling even the weakest Atlassian recruit. How do you think you three would compare against the Agroneese? You'd be slaughtered before you even got a chance to put up your guard!"

"We…tried our best, sir." Naruto said.

The Admiral directed his stare towards Naruto, and instantly made him regret speaking out. "You know, Private Uzumaki, I don't want to hear a single peep from you most of all. You proved to be an absolute disgrace! You won five sparring matches over the course of three months. FIVE! How long do you think you'd last in a one on one against a member of the Agroneese? I can tell you right now that you wouldn't get the chance. You passed basic training with the absolute minimum requirements needed, and show little to no sign of improving your position! The only one among you three who I can event stand to look at right now is Kakashi, and that's not saying much. For your lack of drive and failure to show any signs of progression, the three of you can expect deck duty for the next week until I find an actual use for you."

"What are your orders, sir?" Sakura asked.

The Admiral turned his back to the former ninja and leaned on his strategy table as he started reading a map, "When the ship docks you three will stay behind to mod the deck and help the cooks in the mess hall. Now get out of my bridge."

The former ninja swallowed nervously, walked out of the bridge, and went their separate ways to prepare for their punishments.


	2. Chapter 2

**The New Orders**

A week had passed since the former team seven from the Leaf Village arrived at the Land of the Unknown after being recruited to join Night Hawk on their quest. However, they had spent the entire week still on the ship. Mopping floors, cleaning the deck, repainting the ship and preparing food for the sailors. Neither of them had set one foot on the docks of Atlassia yet as the Admiral restricted it. Despite these let downs, however, Naruto and Sakura were able to get together during the nights and it gave them something to look forward to during the day when they were working.

Today was the last day of their punishments, and they had been requested to the bridge of the ship by Admiral Lynheart who, hopefully, found a use for them by now. Naruto and Sakura walked as close to each other as they could, but the narrow and confined spaces of the corridors in the ship made it difficult to walk side by side.

"Man, I can't believe this! We finally get to this rock out in the middle of nowhere, and what's our first job? Moping the deck, cooking food, and painting the ship! I kind of pictured our arrival to this place to be a bit more…well, exciting." Naruto said, walking with his arms folded over his head.

Sakura rolled her eyes, "Really, this again? Naruto, as unpleasant as these orders were, I can see why the Admiral gave them to us. We were the weakest people of all the recruits, and he wants us to up our skills. If he didn't care about us at all, he would have just sent us straight into a fight with the Agroneese."

"Still, it pisses me off. Sure, we weren't the most skilled, but he surely could have found something better for us to do." Naruto said.

"Yeah, but he also could have had us do a lot worse things, too. Remember when you pissed Night Hawk off and he made you mop one of the hangers with your toothbrush?" Sakura replied.

A shiver ran down Naruto's spine, "Uhhhh! Don't remind me. My knees _still_ hurt from sitting on them that long."

"Well, something tells me you got off easy." Sakura said, "So just watch what you say to the Admiral when we get to the bridge, alright? We don't need your old hot headed self coming back. Especially now of all times."

Naruto looked back at Sakura and grinned, "Don't worry about that. That Naruto is a thing of the past. He's gone."

Sakura smiled slightly, but frowned when Naruto turned away from her. Though she preferred this more mature Naruto, she couldn't help but miss the old one a little. At least that one made things a little more interesting from time to time, and she got to say "I told you so" more often. She dwelled in her thoughts for a moment, then looked over her shoulder at Kakashi, who for once didn't have his nose stuck in a book and walked with his hands in his pocket, "No book this time, huh?"

Kakashi shook his head, "Nope. At least not the ones I usually read, anyway. Since our last meeting with the Admiral went so well, I figured I would start spending a little more time trying to learn the language. It's something new at least."

"Hmm. Fair enough. How are your studies going now that you don't really have anything other than your daily tasks to worry about?" Sakura asked.

"Slow." Kakashi replied in a somewhat tired voice. "The Atlassian Alphabet is just so…long, and the letters make such odd sounds to me. I don't know if I'll ever get it."

Sakura smiled softly at her former sensei, "Oh, don't worry about it. We'll catch on eventually, and we'll be here for a long time, so don't let it get you down too much."

As the group approached the bridge of the Eclipse, some Atlassian soldiers were standing guard outside the door. One of them approached the former ninja and raised his hand, "Halt! The Admiral is in a meeting with high ranking members of the military. State your business or turn around and walk the way you came."

Naruto's anger started to get to him, "What?! He didn't tell you he was expecting us?! What kind of crappy game is he playing here?!"

The second guard approached Naruto, "Sir, I'm going to ask you to keep your voice down. If you're expected, you can wait here for the meeting to end, but entry to the bridge is prohibited until further notice."

Naruto glared angrily at the soldiers and was about to step forward, but stopped when Sakura held him back.

"Sorry, sir. We'll come back later if that's what the Admiral wants."

"That would be best…"

Before the soldier could finish, the door opened and Jessica stepped out of the room, "Ah, Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi. How are you three today?"

The soldiers stood at attention again, and kept their eyes on the former ninja.

"We're fine, Jessica, thank you. So, is it true the Admiral isn't ready to see us yet? We received specific instructions to see him immediately." Sakura said.

Jessica glanced over her shoulder at the door behind her, then returned her attention to Sakura, "Oh, don't worry. He'll be ready soon enough. I just think the meeting he's in isn't going at quite the pace he expected."

Sakura released Naruto, allowing him to step forward and ask, "Do you know what he wanted to see us about? We're kind of anxious to get off this ship."

"I wouldn't have a clue. He's a curious one, my future husband. However, I think he's satisfied with the idea of letting you go for now. He's sending me to get the uniforms."

"Uniforms?" Sakura asked.

Jessica nodded, "If I had to guess, the original idea was kind of tossed out the window since you guys performed so…well…"

"Poorly?" Naruto asked.

Jessica turned her attention to Naruto, and sighed, "Well, I was trying to put it nicely, but yes. Since the three of you acted so poorly, the original plan was more or less tossed out the window. But I don't know for a certainty. Maybe I'm wrong. It certainly wouldn't be the first time."

Sakura laughed a little, "I think that's the truth for all of us. Anyway, how's Alvis doing?"

"Oh, he's fine. He's sleeping right now, or I'd let you see him, but I've been trying to tell him what life is going to be like from now on. I don't think he quite understands yet, though, but he's young." Jessica said.

"Well, that's good to hear. I hope to see him before we depart." Sakura said.

"And I'm sure he'd like to see his new mommy and daddy." Jessica replied.

Sakura and Naruto looked at each other for a brief moment, then looked away and giggled as their cheeks turned bright pink.

"Well, I better go and retrieve those uniforms. Just wait here until he's ready for you." Jessica said.

"Yes, ma'am!"

A brief few minutes passed, and the door opened again. This time the Admiral's voice called their names. "Naruto, Sakura, Kakashi! Come inside!"

The three former ninja cautiously stepped inside the room, and stood at attention as they waited for the Admiral to speak to them. He let the tension build up for a few brief moments, then turned to face them, "At ease, soldiers. Make yourselves comfortable."

The group looked at each other with confused faces, then stood in a relaxed stance.

"Sir? What's going on?" Kakashi asked.

"Yeah, last time you were yelling at us for our performance." Naruto added.

Chris smirked a laugh and grabbed his cup of coffee as he approached, "Yes, this is true. But I've been thinking about a new plan, and I can tell the three of you are eager to get off this ship. I've been watching you work throughout the week, and though you may not make good soldiers, I think the military still has room for people like you."

The former ninjas grinned a bit from the kind words of their superior officer, which showed him they were interested in hearing more.

"Before we continue and discuss our plans, please, grab a cup of coffee or tea." Chris said.

The group nodded and did so. They also grabbed a piece of hardened bread from a box of sweets Chris had sitting next to their cups before finding a seat to sit in.

"So, what's your plan, Admiral?" Kakashi asked.

"Unfortunately, I'll be splitting you up. You'll no longer be a team. Kakashi, you scored just high enough to be useful on a battle field against the Agroneese. I can't use you on the front lines just yet, but I think some combat experience with some Atlassian troops would do you some good. You'll be reporting to our military base in the Red Pass. Just south of the Misty Forest." Chris said.

Kakashi nodded, "Understood, sir."

Naruto and Sakura looked at Kakashi with a bit of sadness in their faces, then Naruto faced Chris and asked. "But…what about us? Me and Sakura?"

Chris smiled a bit, and sat down in a chair across from them and crossed his legs, "Well, from what I understand, you two have a bit of a romance thing going on. Newly agreed boyfriend and girlfriend or so I've been told. Can you agree to this?"

Naruto and Sakura's cheeks turned bright pink. A pause followed before the two looked at each other, then nodded at their superior.

"Good. Because the two of you scored fairly similar on your tests. In fact, I believe I owe you an apology, Naruto. It had slipped my mind you couldn't use Chakra anymore, and your body was still more or less recovering from the injuries you sustained on your last mission. So, for accepting your punishment, even though I was in the wrong, I am raising your rank to private first class."

Naruto's cheeks started to beam, and Sakura patted him on the back. He thought for a moment, then replied, "You…really don't need to, sir. I could have tried harder. I…I don't deserve a promotion. At least not yet."

Sakura stared at Naruto in a state of awe, _"Did…did he really just say that?_ " She thought.

Chris smiled at Naruto, and stood up from his seat before pacing around the back of the former leaf ninja's seats, "You know, Naruto, you kind of remind me of myself. In more ways than you could possibly imagine. I used to be like you when I was your age. I was a prankster, I had no friends, no family, I was bullied and hated for reasons I didn't understand…eventually I reached a point I tried to take my own life. But do you know what stopped me?"

Naruto and the others turned to face their commander, and Naruto shook his head, "N-no, sir."

Chris rested his hands on the back of Sakura's chair, and looked down at her, "It was a woman who stopped me. It was a woman who saved me from doing the unthinkable. It was a woman who gave me a second chance at life, and it's a woman who made me the man I am today. A woman very similar to Ms. Haruno here."

Sakura smiled softly and blushed at her commander's kind words, "You mean Jessica, don't you?"

Chris nodded, "Indeed. Were it not for her, I would not be in this room having this little chat with you." He started circling the group again, "But I'm drifting off point a little. Naruto, thus far you are showing the signs of a true warrior. Though your ninja days may be behind you, I think if given enough time, we can make a true Atlassian warrior out of you."

Naruto smiled at his superior and thanked him, "You're too kind, sir."

Chris looked at Naruto for a moment, then started to laugh, "Oh, no. No, no, no, no, no, no. You said that far, far too early, Private First Class. I haven't even told you your mission yet."

Suddenly, the warm cheerful feeling Naruto and the others had in their guts disappeared, and they took in deep breaths to prepare them.

"What are our orders, sir?" Sakura asked.

Chris walked to another part of the room, next to a blue lit table, and pressed a button. Next, a map of the entire country came up, marking the spots of every city, town and village in the country. "Though you won't be on the front lines against the Agroneese, the nine major cities must be willing to fight and spare their resources. I know your time learning about our country was limited, so I'll give you a basic rundown. Atlassia is not technically speaking a unified country. Our political laws allow for each of the nine major cities to independently govern their own regions, letting it act as its own independent country. This is because this country is no stranger to civil conflict. In this country's history, over six civil conflicts have broken out because of how the people were being governed and treated. At first, Atlassia was a kingdom that prospered for a time. However, it eventually fell into socialist rule, which rapidly turned to communism. The people revolted against that form of government, and a civil war that lasted for over a century ripped the land and its people apart. Once the communist reign was over, other civil conflicts followed, just trying to reunite the country. With the rapid advancement of technology, strategy and weaponry of the times, those wars were shorter, but even bloodier than the first. Now, the country is made up of nine "city states" that govern themselves like they're their own country. Our political system is run my nine major families that are divided into three factions: The Herbivores, who are pacifists. The Omnivores, who are independent. And the Carnivores, who are made up of warriors. Each faction has three of the nine major families who govern the country. Which is what brings us to your mission. I'm sending you two on a quest to ensure the country becomes united for this time of war. We cannot risk the country not being united now that the Agroneese have returned."

"So…you're sending us to each of the nine major cities to ensure the country is at full military strength?" Naruto asked.

Chris nodded, "Yes."

Sakura studied the map for a moment, then turned to face her commander, "But…wait. Unless we're given any kind of assistance, it'll take years to reach even the closest city alone. Forget Lehttnii, Aikta and Watice. They're on opposite corners of the map from us."

"I've already arranged for you to be given assistance. When you reach, Eath-Vahn you'll be directed to our stables where some of the fastest and healthiest horses we have available are waiting for you." Chris said.

"Horses? You can't just let us ride with a dragon rider or something?" Naruto asked.

"As sensible as that would be, I just don't have the resources to spare. I need every man, woman, dragon and scorpion I have ready to face the Agroneese. However, I'm going to warn you. You are still outsiders to this country. There are many here who will not tolerate foreigners walking our shores. But we have a way of avoiding that."

Suddenly, Jessica came through the door again, carrying several boxes stacked on top of one another. "I found the uniforms you requested, Chris."

"Ah! Perfect timing. Go ahead and give them their boxes." Chris said.

Jessica nodded, and gave each of the former ninja a box containing several uniforms. They immediately opened the boxes and started digging through them.

"These uniforms are a symbol of the Seventeen Assassins. Anyone who sees you wearing these will know you are operating for us, which should help you avoid trouble down the line. In addition to that, they offer protection from Atlassia's harsh environments. There is a specific set of clothing for each environment. Deserts, forests, icy wastelands, swamps, mountains, and should you choose to pass through the northern regions…volcanic wastelands. I would not advise you got venture into the Haunted wastes to the north of Aikta, or venture through the Land of the Seventeen which makes up the northern most region of the continent. Legend is these places are cursed, haunted or what have you. If you choose to enter these places, know you will do so without any assistance from local military outposts."

Naruto and Sakura sat frozen in fear with their eyes wide open, refusing to say a word.

"I'll take that as a message you're not going to go to these places. Good. Now, return to your quarters and gather your possessions. You'll each set out immediately afterword." Chris said.

The group nodded, and left the room.


	3. Chapter 3

Mission Start

After changing into their new uniforms and packing what belongings they could carry, Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi met at the ramp that would lead them down to the docks, where they would take their first steps on Atlassian soil. An awe inspiring, but terrifying thought at the same time. Each city state alone had more than enough power to wipe the Elemental Nations off the face of the planet with ease. And they were less than welcome in this country that did not allow outsiders to walk on its soil.

The uniforms the former Leaf ninja wore were meant for traversing across places like the Red Desert that were blisteringly hot when the sun was highest in the sky. However, the Red Desert was the most forgiving of the three deserts as temperatures here only reached the upper nineties to low hundred degree temperatures (Fahrenheit). These uniforms were much better suited to a place like the Bahma Desert since temperatures there often reached one-hundred and twenty to one-hundred and forty degrees on a good day.

For Naruto and Kakashi, their uniforms were a sand colored long sleeve hooded cloak that offered camouflage in Atlassia's deserts. They were made of a very light material that allowed air to pass through or allow the uniform to "breathe" in hostile climates. The cloaks were loose and their hoods offered plenty of shade for their faces. They wore handkerchiefs over their faces to protect them from the sun and sandstorms, and wore goggles that acted the same as sunglasses to protect their eyes. On their hands, they wore fingerless combat gloves that offered limited protection against small weapons such as knives or flying rocks, but little more than that. The cloaks they wore also had limited light armor protection for their vital organs. Their stomach, heart and lungs were protected by a light armored plating that could withstand a limited amount of punishment. Their cloaks reached down to their shins, and beneath them, they wore light armored leggings that protected their knees and shins. For their footwear, they wore Atlassian combat desert combat boots that were heavy, but were also made of a similar material of the cloak, which allowed air to get to their feet. On their backs and upper left chest were emblems that resembled the Assassins, letting those who question them know they work for the order of the Seventeen.

For Sakura, her uniform was fairly similar, except would offer a bit more protection around the chest area. Each uniform also had an additional lighter, but more exposing under side. At any time, the wearer could slip off the cloak, allowing more fresh air to get to their bodies. However, these uniforms were massively exposing, and any protection their robes offered was gone. For males, they would only have shoulder and elbow pads to protect their joints, but their upper bodies would be exposed to any attack. They would wear shorts with knee and shin pads on their lower bodies, but their hips were also somewhat protected with light armored padding.

Sakura's uniform was more or less the same, but came with a sleeveless tank top to cover her breasts and her shorts were a little shorter.

They each wore backpacks on their backs, three ten packs around their waists, and were given saddle bags additional gear their horses could carry for them. Their packs were full of water, food and other provisions they would need in the Red Desert, but they would have to resupply every chance they got. The city of Eath-Vahn was a five day walk from the docks, and none of them were looking forward to the journey.

Around noon, the former ninja met Admiral Lynheart and Jessica at the main ramp leading off the ship. Despite it being docked for well over a week now, supplies were still being loaded on the Atlassian flag ship. Jessica had Alvis in hand, and released him when they saw Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi approaching. Sakura knelt down and wrapped her arms around him before picking him up and throwing in the air slightly. When he landed in her hands again, she brought him close to her and kissed his forehead several times, then tossed him to Naruto who tickled his neck with his fingers, making him laugh and giggle for a few seconds. After what felt like a long time to Alvis, Naruto let him down on the deck of the ship and held one hand while Sakura held the other as they walked.

Kakashi watched his former students with interest, amazed by how much they had grown and matured ever since Naruto recovered in the hospital. In fact, it wouldn't be wrong to say part of him died seeing the two progress their relationship the way they were. Naruto, the squad loser, lost his biggest dream, but gained the girl of his dreams just by showing a more mature attitude around her. And Sakura, though still very young, was already showing the signs of being an excellent mother someday. In many ways, it brought back memories of his youth before the incident that got his squad mates killed on a mission.

When the group got closer, Alvis ran back to Jessica who wrapped her arms around him and held him against her legs as the Admiral turned to face the former ninja. He studied them for several seconds as they stood before him. "Wow. You people look absolutely terrible in those clothes. You'd think we could find something a bit more…fashionable."

"I'll say! Are robes all you people wear in this country or what?" Naruto asked in a cocky, but playful tone as he rested his hands behind his head.

Chris smirked a laugh before retorting, "If you prefer, Private First Class, I can make the alternative available."

Naruto looked at Chris with a hint of curiosity in his eyes, "Alternatives? You mean we don't to wear these robe things?"

"It's called a cloak, Private First Class. And yes, there is an alternative: Birthday suits." Chris said.

Sakura and Kakashi's cheeks turned pink with embarrassment, and Jessica covered her mouth, trying not to laugh too loud at her boyfriend's joke.

Naruto stared blankly at his superior, not understanding the joke, "Birthday suits? What are they? Can we at least see them before…"

Sakura covered Naruto's mouth from behind and gave Chris an innocent but embarrassed look, "We're happy enough with our current uniforms, sir. There's no need to change."

"Very well. I take it the three of you have stocked up on water and provisions?" Chris asked.

"Yes, sir. We're all pretty eager to leave the ship." Sakura said.

"Very well. Naruto and Sakura, I would suggest you make your way south through the swamps first. By the time you get there it will be the beginning of Fall. You need to have the governors of Shadway and Dakseign to sign those treaties."

"Understood sir. But we'll be awfully close to Watice and the Frozen Wastelands." Sakura said, "And by the time we're finished with the treaties of those two cities it will likely be getting close to Winter. You're not expecting us to travel through that region during that time of year are you?"

Chris shook his head, "No. After that you should probably head north to Lightech in the light Plains. That region produces the most food in the country, so we'll need their treaty signed as soon as possible. Entering the nation's capital will not be possible until you've had all the treaties signed. So after you're done with Lightech, you'll need to head further north to Aikta. By then it will be getting to mid spring, so you'll need to head south again in order to reach Watice during the heat of summer."

"But that still leaves Lighketekt. We'll be on the exact opposite corner of the country." Sakura said.

"I know. But by then you should have some additional aid. Young volunteers and new recruits may be waiting to travel with you. And I have no doubt you'll attain some new useful skills during your journey. When you reach Aikta, you may be able to look into hiring a dragon to take you over the Bahmah Desert, but I can't promise anything. Aikta is a Carnivore city, and they're less than fond of outsiders." Chris said.

"Got it. But what about Eath-Vahn?" Sakura asked.

"I have already arranged for you to meet with the Governor of the city. He's agreed to sign the treaty and offer you additional supplies." Chris said.

"Thank you, sir. It will be an honor to see this country." Sakura said.

"We're counting on you. If Atlassia isn't fully united we'll be at a disadvantage. Good luck and good hunting out there." Chris saluted Naruto and Sakura, and they saluted back. He then turned his attention to Kakashi and said, "Kakashi, you may accompany your squad as far as the Red Pass in the north east. Once there, I want you reporting to Fort Heat for mission briefing. You'll be under the command of whoever's in charge. Tell the gate guards I sent you and you'll be able to stroll right in."

Kakashi nodded, "Understood, sir."

Chris saluted Kakashi, who did the same, then turned his back to the former ninja and started making his way back to the bridge of the ship.

Sakura looked down and smiled at Alvis, then looked up at Jessica, "What will you do with him?"

"He'll be safe with us until the school year starts. Then he'll have to attend and start learning Atlassian law. When your adventure is complete, you may see him again, but it will be a while before you return. I'd let you take him with you on your journey, but the wilderness of this country is no place for a small child like him. He'd be scarred for life if he saw the monstrosities that await you out there." Jessica said.

" _Well, that makes us feel better._ " Sakura thought. She glanced down at Alvis again, then focused on Jessica, "Are you planning to take him in yourself, or…?"

Jessica smiled down at Alvis, and patted his shoulder before replying, "Probably. I've grown to like this kid. And I think Chris enjoys watching me be his mommy, too. You needn't worry about it. He'll be safe with us."

Sakura nodded in thanks, then kneeled down to Alvis who ran up to her and hugged her. She wrapped her arm around him, and rested her chin on his shoulder so she could whisper in his ear, "Be good, Alvis. I'll miss you."

Tears started to slide down Alvis's cheeks, and he burrowed his face in Sakura's chest, "I'll miss you, too."

Sakura held him tightly for a long few seconds before gently pushing him away and kissing his forehead. She then stood up, and Alvis ran over to Naruto and hugged his legs, nearly making him fall over.

"Hey, watch it, sport!" Naruto said as he caught his balance.

Alvis smiled up at Naruto like he meant to push him over, but received his payback when Naruto rubbed his head and messed up his hair. "Ha! How do ya like them apples, sonny?"

Alvis stood in place as if her were a soldier standing at attention for a moment before retorting, "I think they're sour!" He straightened his hair, playfully stuck his tongue out at Naruto and retreated back to Jessica.

Jessica folded her hair behind her ear, and held Alvis against her legs again. She then looked up at the former and smiled, "See? I think he'll get along just fine with us."

Sakura smiled comfortably, and nodded, "Thank you, Jessica. Hopefully we'll be seeing you soon."

Jessica nodded and smiled kindly as she replied, "May your summers be long and cool, and may you winters be short and warm, former ninja. I wish you the best of luck on your journey."

The former ninja all bowed to show their respects, "Thank you, ma'am."

Jessica bowed to them, and waved as they started walking down the ramp. She picked Alvis up, and rested him on her hip so he could see and wave at them until they disappeared out of sight.

Once the ship was out of eyesight, Sakura, Naruto and Kakashi took a moment to observe their surroundings. These were their first footsteps in this foreign land, a place no outsiders had ever been allowed into before. It was not only a great honor and privilege for the three to walk on its shores, but to also see its people, culture and way of life. The way the buildings and streets were built gave the impression this was a very advanced civilization, far beyond the scopes of their home continent. Had they not studied these cities a little in their classes on the ship, they would think they were on some kind of alien world. The streets were paved with smooth concrete, and the buildings reached for the heavens. Even the tallest of buildings in the Elemental Nations didn't match some of the mid-sized buildings.

The city blocks were also much more organized. Small buildings like warehouses café's and restaurants lined the streets outside the docks, but the building's turned into medium sized office buildings further along to the heart of the port city where the larger buildings were.

The streets were crowded with tourists from other cities, as well as soldiers and sailors. Just in their tiny are of the city, the former Leaf ninja had trouble wrapping their heads around just how many people were in such a small area. Coaches pulled by horses, and even small automobiles filled the streets, transporting goods and people to and from the outer city. A transportation system that didn't even exist in the Elemental Nations.

"Gosh, have you ever seen so many people just crammed into one small space?" Sakura asked, amazed at the amount of commotion before her.

"Yeah, Tsunade wasn't kidding when she said this country had a huge population. And we haven't even walked down the street yet." Naruto said.

"And to think every single one of these people either has or is currently serving in their military. We're not dealing with recruits anymore. These people are the real deal." Kakashi said.

Sakura gulped and looked at Kakashi with a nervous face, "We could barely hold our own against recruits and cadets who didn't have that much training. And we're some of the top ninja in our village."

"Their military is powerful. I can see why no one has ever even tried invading this place. It would be suicide." Kakashi said.

Sakura nodded, "Yeah. I think it's best if we keep our heads down, and be on our best behavior. The last thing I want to do is make a bad first impression on these people. They're Xenophobic enough as it is."

"Xenophobic? What does that mean?" Naruto asked, looking at Sakura with a blank face.

Sakura growled and slapped her forehead, then turned to face Naruto, "It means they don't like outsiders coming to their country, Naruto. You should know this. It's only been repeated half a billion times by now!"

"Okay, sorry! I just didn't know the word, that's all." Naruto pouted.

Sakura shook her head and rolled her eyes, "Just stay close and don't go off on your own, alright? The second we tick someone off we're finished."

Naruto gulped and nodded, "Whatever you say, Sakura…"

Sakura patted Naruto's head, "Good-boy. Don't make me pull a leach out."

Naruto smirked at Sakura's comment, but watched as Kakashi stepped forward a bit. "Kakashi-sensei?"

"According to Admiral Lynheart, the actual city is a five day walk from here. I suggest we get a move on and gather what other supplies we can before setting out into the desert." Kakashi said.

"Good idea. I think taking any of the public transport is kind of out of the question." Sakura said. "We're not fluent enough with the language, and the second they spot our accent we'd be exposed."

"But we _are_ wearing these uniforms." Naruto stated, "Aren't they supposed to signify the order of the assassins?"

Kakashi turned to look at Naruto and said, "Technically speaking, Naruto, they are. But we can't expect people to respect us just because we're in uniform. This country doesn't have civilians. The closest it has is retired military personnel. Everyone here wore a uniform for several years, decades in many cases. We can't just demand respect anymore because we're in the military and risking our lives. These uniforms are only to keep us from having our feet tied to rocks and thrown off the deck of a ship at sea."

Sakura stepped forward and pulled out her translation book, "Hmm…let's see. There's bound to be a few shops we can buy some other supplies from. We're stocked up on food and water for now, and we have the weapons we got from basic training. I wouldn't mind having some extra water, though. You can never have too much water in a desert."

"Honestly, I think it's better if we just get a move on at this point. I don't like being around this many…you know…" Naruto said.

Sakura thought for a moment, then looked at Naruto, "Ehhhhh….I see what you mean, Naruto, but…walking across a desert this time a day is not the greatest idea out there. Heck, just standing here I'm already getting kind of warm."

"Well, he does have a point, though. Let's see if we can at least find a less crowded place first." Kakashi suggested.

His two companions nodded, and he lead the way to the far side of the port city where the laid low until evening.

Once the sun started to disappear out of the sky, the former ninja geared up once more. They spent the majority of the day relaxing and gathering their energy to face the night time desert, and were ready for their first venture into the wilds. When they left the inn they were staying at, they rushed towards the front gates of the city, but froze in their tracks by what they saw.

"Holy cow! Look at the size of that wall!" Naruto nearly shouted.

Sakura elbowed him in the gut, making him bend over as he held the area she hit him, "Quiet, you idiot! Do you want to give us away?!" She whispered in an aggravated tone. She continued to glare at Naruto for a few seconds, then turned her attention to the massive wall in front of them.

The wall was a massive stone structure that went around the entire perimeter of the city with countless guard towers going in each direction, and was manned by hundreds of Atlassian soldiers and town watch militia that consisted of middle aged children preparing for military service. Archers kept sharp eyes on the desert path, watching for sign of danger approaching the city.

"Impressive. That wall must stand at least some eighty meters tall." Kakashi said, standing in place with his hands in his pockets.

"I don't care how tall or thick it is, it's freaking massive." Sakura said.

Kakashi continued to study the wall for a minute or two, but eventually started walking again, "Well, we didn't come all this way just to look at a wall of all things. Let's get a move on before the sun comes up again."

Naruto and Sakura nodded, and followed closely behind until they reached the gates, but suddenly froze where they were. Their eyes widened and each of them started to grow a little nervous.

"Ooooookay…this is where things start to get interesting." Sakura said in a less than enthusiastic voice.

"Oh boy. This could potentially be a problem." Kakashi said.

Standing at the gates were several members of the town militia. Children from the ages of ten up to sixteen preparing for military service. They had already spotted the former ninja, so they didn't have any choice but to approach. As they did, one of the militia, a girl no older than fourteen, rose her hand telling them to stop.

"Hast! Tis neet see gore. Steet vor ingnas."

Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi all looked at each other hesitantly, then nervously started speaking.

"Uh…veve tak omands kest…Lynheart…tee nass." Sakura said.

Another town militia, a boy of similar age to the girl, approached and spoke to her, "Tes nees oukees?"

The girl looked at the boy, nodded, then they both pointed their spears at Sakura, who immediately raised her hands, "Oukees! Tor kot feewish anno tev accno!"

Sakura gave an embarrassed but frightful smile at the kids. She couldn't understand what they were saying.

More town watch came and circled Naruto and Kakashi speaking to them the same way.

Sakura looked at girl as she spoke to her, "Oukees! Vast igua dust u sae?"

Sakura only blinked in confusion at the girl.

"Tis igua? Niin. Kast halango tehrestass? Nii. Or how about this language?" The girl said.

Sakura's eyes widened, "Wait, wait, wait! That's our language!"

"And yet you come to our country not knowing ours. The arrogance of foreigners is immeasurable. How did you get into our country you dirty piece of filth?! Answer me!" The girl shouted as she shoved her spear up to Sakura's neck.

"Okay, okay! We were brought here from the Elemental Nations on the Eclipse by Admiral Lynheart. All three of us are from the Hidden Leaf Village in the Land of Fire." Sakura said.

The girl and the boy looked at each other briefly, then returned their attention to Sakura and pushed their spears a little closer to her neck, "You expect us to believe that?" The girl asked.

The boy, however, noticed the symbol on Sakura's chest, tapped the girl's shoulder and pointed at it. They looked at each other briefly, then took their spears away from her neck, "Okay, foreigner. You wear the symbol of the Seventeen, which tells us you're not entirely lying. Why were you brought here and what are your intentions?" The girl asked in a still hostile tone.

"W-we were recruited by a pre-ranking member of the Seventeen who tracked an Agroneese sprit to our village. His name was Night Hawk." Sakura said.

"Oh, really? And I'm sure salt water is drinkable, too." The girl said.

The boy tapped the girl's shoulder, catching her attention, and they whispered to each other for a short few seconds. The girl then turned her attention back to Sakura, and rested her spear, "Okay, outsider. Your story isn't something that could be easily made up, so I'll listen for now. Now, what are your reasons for leaving the city and wandering out into the desert at night?"

"We were given orders by Admiral Lynheart, ma'am. We're supposed to gather treaties of all the other cities so the country stands united against the Agroneese." Sakura said.

"And he couldn't trust an Atlassian to do this? He would rather have you three outsiders leaving your filthy footprints on our lands? What in the world is he thinking?" The girl paused for a moment, then stepped aside, "Fine. I'll let you pass. But I warn you. If I find out your lying to me, I will personally hunt you down and make bow strings out of your insides."

A shiver ran down Sakura's spine and she nearly froze in fear, " _Sheesh! These people do NOT want me here!_ " She thought.

The girl motioned for the others to lower their weapons, and motioned for the ninja to move along, "Now get moving before I change my mind and have you three hauled off to jail."

The ninja nodded and immediately charged out the gates, getting as much distance from the town watch as possible. After they made enough distance between them and the city, they all bent down on their knees and panted, trying to catch their breath. "Sheesh! What the hell was the about?!" Naruto yelled. "And how did they find out so easily?"

Sakura continued to pant for a moment, then stood up and rested her hands on her hips, "I…I guess…they caught onto my accent."

"That would make sense. We're not exactly fluent in this language." Kakashi said.

"Whew! Well, I think I've had my share of excitement for a while." Sakura said, finally having lungs full of air again.

"Yeah, if we could _not_ have to do that in the future, that would be great." Naruto said.

Kakashi looked back at the city, then stared to the north. The desert sands had an eerie red glow from the mood, but it provided a decent amount of light to illuminate their path. "I think our struggles have only just begun. That's a big desert we need to cross."

Sakura walked past him, getting a better grip on her backpack straps, "Well, so long as we travel by night we should be fine."

"If you say so, Sakura." Kakashi said as he followed behind her.

Naruto remained quiet and took his position at the rear of the group. He stared down the long path ahead of them, and said, "Creepy desert and hostile natives, here we come."


	4. Chapter 4

Wildlife Welcome

The first night in Atlassia was a new, yet frightening experience for the former Leaf ninja. The land they were in had many dangerous animal species, many of them being extremely poisonous. And even though they had a very skilled medical ninja with them, Sakura had nothing to base a cure on for the poisons. They were in the middle of a desert, which meant there were few- if any- herbs she could sample for medicinal properties. Animal calls they never heard before haunted them from all directions, and the eerie of the sand offered no comfort. However, there were some sounds they did recognize from the Land of Wind back home.

With every step they took, they kept a close eye on the ground. The Red Desert was noted for being one of the less active places with hostile wildlife, but there was one snake in particular that was extremely dangerous and fairly common in the region; the Black Two Tongue Tongue Serpent. A snake well over six meters long, and often weighed over six-hundred pounds. They were excellent night time ambush predators that didn't shy away from striking at any potential meal that came its way, be it animal or man.

For the first night, the ninja didn't speak to each other much. Many sounds made their hair stand on end, and others made them stand back-to-back for extended periods of time. Even Kakashi, who was known for keeping calm, was on edge. Animal species was one of his biggest interests on the ship coming to the new country, and back then, he was eager to find some of these animals. Looking back now, he considered himself a fool for thinking that way.

The first night passed with little to no issue. At first light, they stopped walking and sat up their tents and campsite in an area hidden off the main path. They hadn't encountered a single Atlassian patrol or traveler, and they hoped to keep it that way for as long as they could.

While she was setting up her tent, Sakura kept a close eye on Naruto. He had come a long way after learning his chakra ties had been severed, but she could tell it still bothered him. And while she did prefer this more mature Naruto, she secretly longed to have the annoying one back. " _At least our trip wouldn't be so boring if we had the loudmouth with us._ " She thought.

A short time passed and the three managed to get their camp set up. They each had a tent of their own, and took advantage of the cool morning air to get some sleep. But by noon, the temperatures had risen well past the mid-upper nineties, making sleep impossible. Instead, they took off their robes and wore the underclothing that came with it while staying in their tents. Kakashi stayed in his tent alone as he read a book, but Naruto and Sakura took the time to plan out their future course.

Sakura, who was nearly topless with the exception of her robe's undershirt that covered her breasts, studied the map in Naruto's tent and gave him her opinion on the best way to proceed, "Okay, feel free to disagree with me if you want Naruto, but I think doing as Admiral Lynheart instructed might not be the best way to do this."

"Wait. Miss, Rules is disobeying an order from her superiors? I think the world might be coming to an end." Naruto teased.

Sakura jokingly punched Naruto's shoulder and laughed sarcastically, "Ha, ha, ha! Very funny. Ha, ha, ha!

"Well I thought it was." Naruto said, his voice still in a playful tone.

Sakura rolled her eyes, "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Whatever you say. Anyway, back to this. Personally, I think it might be a better idea to cut around the Shadow Mountains to the North and circle around back south to Dakseign and Shadway. I mean, look at the size of the swamp we'd have to cross. It's massive!"

"Yeah, but…going north of the Shadow Mountains will add weeks if not months to the amount of time it'll take us to get there. I mean, we're kind of on a time limit here." Naruto said.

Sakura grabbed her chin as she thought a little more about the plan, "Hmm…I don't think crossing _through_ the mountains would be a good idea. Those mountains are huge. In fact, they make the mountains back home look like field terraces in comparison. Although, if we could find a pass…"

"Yeah, the key word there is _if_. I mean, I don't disagree with your idea at all. It's bound to be easier. But what if the military is expecting us to go through the swamp and they get the idea we've abandoned the mission?" Naruto asked.

Sakura's eyes widened, and she looked at Naruto with a bit of an embarrassed look, "That…might could be a problem. However, it depends on when we get there. If it's fall, we'll have to. If it's still summer, I say we try finding a different rout. Going through a swamp that size during the hottest time of the year isn't going to be fun."

"But don't swamps usually have giant man eating lizards? Like Crocodiles and Alligators?" Naruto asked.

"Yes. Why do you ask?" Sakura asked.

"Well, I'm no expert on reptiles, but don't lizards usually just lounge around during the heat of the day? It would be hot and unbearably humid, but so long as we kept our distance I don't think we'd have an issue with the wild life." Naruto said.

Sakura thought for a moment, and studied the map again, "Hmm…you have a good point, actually. It's just…I remember reading about this part of the country. The Foggy Plains will be easy to walk through because nothing really lives there. But I remember reading about massive insects and other dangers than just overgrown lizards. Also, we'll be extremely close to the Red Lake, which I don't much care for."

"Why's that?" Naruto asked.

Sakura looked at Naruto for a moment, sighed, and returned her attention to the map, "That lake didn't earn its name from nothing Naruto. That place is a blood bath."

"Okay, so what's the big deal? We'll just stay north of it." Naruto said.

Sakura rolled her eyes to look at Naruto, "It's not the lake itself that worries me. Sure we can avoid it fairly easily, but look at the map. There are several rivers and streams we'll have to cross. If we get picked up by a strong enough current, we could be swept miles off course or, if the worst case scenario happens, eventually end up in the Red Lake and become appetizers for whatever lurks in those waters."

"Yeah, but…you can walk on water, Sakura." Naruto pointed out.

Sakura sighed and rested her head in her hand, "Okay, fair enough. But I'd rather not have to carry all my gear _and_ you and your gear if I can avoid it. This stuff is heavy enough by itself, and you adding to it is just unnecessary weight."

Naruto rubbed his chin for a moment as he thought to himself, then pointed to the eastern part of the Shadow Mountains, "Well, I suppose we could try and go around…but that would add entire weeks or months to our journey. That's time that we don't have."

Sakura sighed, and thought for a moment. She then started rolling the map up and placed it in her bag, then turned to face Naruto again, "Okay, Naruto. I want to take this time to do a bit of a check up on you, okay?"

"Huh? But…Sakura, I've been walking fine ever since we got on the ship." Naruto said.

"Just do as I say, okay? Honestly, it's too hot to do anything outside, and we'll have to sleep for a while again in the evening, we have to find _something_ to pass the time.

Naruto looked at Sakura for a moment, and smiled teasingly, "Oh, is that your excuse to check me out?"

Sakura stared at him with an unamused face for a moment, then pinched his ear and pulled his face closer to her, "How many times a day I gotta threaten your life?" She released his ear, causing Naruto to fling himself backwards and land on his back.

He chuckled a bit as he sat back up, "Okay, okay, Sakura. I was just kidding."

Sakura smiled sweetly, and gently patted his shoulders, "I know, Naruto. Now, please just do as I say."

Naruto nodded, and turned around to have his back face Sakura, who immediately started examining his body for any damage he may have sustained during training or the journey to the new country. The two sat in silence for a few minutes until Naruto spoke up, "Hey, Sakura…can I ask you something."

"Of course. What's on your mind?" Sakura asked, continuing her examination.

"About Alvis…what are your plans for him in the future?" Naruto asked.

Sakura looked up at Naruto's face while he looked over his shoulder, and thought for a moment, "Hmm…well, I kind of already considered him to be my unofficial son, really. I mean, I want kids of my own someday, but I couldn't just abandon him at the village. He's too young to just turn away and expect him to know what to do."

"So you really want him to go through the Atlassian military training?" Naruto asked.

"Well, we don't really have much of a choice. This is their country, and we have to follow its laws. Had we taken him back to the Leaf Village I _might_ have taken him to the orphanage, but I couldn't help but like him. I probably would have convinced my mother to adopt him, and I'd be his big sister." Sakura said.

"I see…"

Sakura paused for a moment when she saw the look on Naruto's face, "Um…why do you ask? Is there any particular reason?"

Naruto shook his head, "No. I was just looking to start a conversation. It was getting to be a little…awkward just sitting in silence."

Sakura chuckled a little, and playfully punched Naruto's shoulder, "What? You can't stand being in the same tent as your girlfriend? Is that it?"

"Well, don't get me wrong, I enjoy spending time with you, especially when you're in that outfit." Naruto teased.

Sakura frowned and gave him an angry but playful glare as she shook her fist at him, "Boy, you are really asking for it. If you want dinner tonight, I'd watch that tongue of yours or all you'll be getting is my supreme knuckle sandwiches!"

"Well, that's no fair because I can't fight back!" Naruto said.

Sakura smirked and lifted her nose in the air with her eyes closed, "Humph! That's why you should never pick a fight with a girl."

"Of course, that outfit makes you pretty exposed. I bet I could find a way to return the favor." Naruto teased with one eye closed.

Sakura playfully hammered the top of Naruto's head as she gave him a death stare, "Try it and your dead, bub." " _At least so long as Kakashi's around. Once we're by ourselves I wouldn't mind having a few fights._ " She thought.

Naruto grinned his goofy grin, and let her return to her examination, "So, I've been thinking, Sakura…"

"Oh? Is that what that grinding noise was? I was starting to wonder." Sakura said.

Naruto glared at Sakura over his shoulder, "Hey!"

Sakura giggled and stuck her tongue out.

Naruto mumbled under his breath and returned his attention to his front.

"Anyway, as you were saying." Sakura said.

"Oh, no, no, forget it now. You blew it, Miss Sassy Pants." Naruto replied.

" _Miss Sassy Pants? Well, there's a new one._ " "Oh, come on, Naruto. I was just kidding!" Sakura said.

"Yeah? Well, kiss me and prove it." Naruto demanded.

" _Oh, so that's his game, is it?_ " Sakura rested her chin on Naruto's shoulder and whispered in his ear, "You have to face me if you want me to."

Naruto's cheeks turned pink, and he slowly turned his head to face her, but she pressed her lips against his before he was ready, taking him by surprise and making him fall sideways a bit. Sakura followed, and sat on all fours as she pressed her kiss more and more until Naruto was flat on his back. She lay down on top of him, and wrapped her hand around his head, keeping him in place. She used her free hand to dance her fingers around his chest, making him giggle a little from the light touches.

Naruto responded by running his hands down her curves and rubbing her back. He returned the kiss as much as he could, but Sakura was by far the better kisser of the two. Was it something about just being female, or did she have experience making out with posters of Sasuke in her room? Either way, he didn't care. She was his now and that's all that mattered.

Despite Kakashi being in his tent just a few meters away, the two former ninja continued to make out in Naruto's tent until they needed to part. When they did, they both gasped for air, but Sakura wasn't done. She kept Naruto down, and gently slid her index fingernail across Naruto's chest and face before gently kissing his face several times. "Naruto…I'm so sorry. I should have realized the pain I was putting you through. You wanted nothing but to be accepted by your village…and by me. If I wasn't so blind before, I would have seen how hard you were trying to just become someone of importance. Maybe if I hadn't been so blind you wouldn't have been hurt so badly in your fight against Sasuke. All the pain you've felt because of me…I want to make it up to you."

"Wh-what do you have in mind?" Naruto asked nervously.

Sakura's cheeks turned pink, and she rolled her eyes to look away for a moment. Then, she rested entirely on top of Naruto, gently stroking his hair and rubbing his chest, "Don't worry about that now. I'll make it up to you in more ways than one. This is _my_ promise of a lifetime to you. Now just sit back, relax, and let me take care of you for once." She then started gently kissing Naruto's face again and again, making the best of the heated afternoon.

When the sun went down, the group gathered up their camping supplies, and set out across the desert for the second night. The sounds were still haunting, but they weren't as terrified as they were the previous night. They stayed in a tight formation so nothing would take them by surprise, and kept a close eye for snakes and other dangerous animals that might be hiding under the sand. For the most part, traversing the Red Desert wasn't hard, but merely just time consuming. The ground was fairly flat with gentle sloping dunes that hid the distant horizon, but they didn't offer much of a challenge to climb or traverse.

The ninja were also sure to keep a close eye on their water supply. They were each carrying huge water canisters that held over five gallons, but that could easily disappear fast in a desert. By Sakura's calculations, they would just be able to make it to Eath-Vahn before needing to resupply.

Since the ground was fairly flat, the group made some decent progress through the second night, and didn't have any trouble. They all kept to themselves for the most part so they wouldn't attract predators looking for a meal to ambush. Naruto and Sakura had an occasional laugh at each other, and they played guessing games as they walked. Bringing back memories of their own home continent and naming places they'd like to see at some point in their life.

When the sun came up the second time, they made camp again a distance off the trail. They slept through the first few hours of light, but eventually had to wake up due to the heat bearing down on them. Today, all three of them would hang out in Kakashi's tent playing card games. Or reading books they had brought with them.

Naruto was the first kicked out of one of their games, so he decided to pull out one of the books he'd taken with him. This book went over every region in the land from the Deserts to the Frozen Wastelands. He hadn't read much of it, and the book was big and heavy and written in Atlassian language, but it still showed pictures of the wildlife and hazardous environments of each place.

Sakura kept an eye on Naruto as they played, and when it was her turn to shuffle the cards, she looked at Naruto, "So you _can_ read after all, huh?" She teased.

"Hey! Just because I'm not as smart as you doesn't mean I don't know how to look at pictures." Naruto retorted.

"Well, even Alvis can do that!" Sakura teased.

"Well, Alvis is probably smarter than I am, so…"

Sakura laughed and rolled her eyes before she dealt her and Kakashi's cards, "At least your sense of humor was never damaged. Then this would be a _really_ boring trip."

Naruto grinned at Sakura, "I try my best."

"And that's all I can ever ask for, isn't it?" Sakura said.

"You know, you two sure have changed in such a short amount of time." Kakashi said, catching Naruto and Sakura's attention, "Sakura, you used to absolutely despise Naruto and didn't want anything to do with it. And Naruto, you act like you're not even the same person anymore."

Naruto grinned a little and rubbed the back of his head with one hand, "Well, as it turns out, having your spine snapped, chest ripped open and not being able to produce anymore chakra kind of changes who you are." His frown slowly disappeared and he lowered his head to the ground before he continued, "Of course…it's still a little hard to accept that part of my life is just…gone."

Sakura frowned a little and looked at Naruto with sorrowful eyes, but wasn't able to say anything before Kakashi, "Sudden change like that is always difficult, Naruto. It won't be easy to overcome for a while, but eventually you'll just forget about it. If this land really is to become our home then it may be for the best. Atlassians don't use Chakra, and you going around making shadow clones all the time wouldn't help us on our journey."

Sakura covered her mouth as she giggled, then looked at Naruto, "He does have a point. Granted that means I can't use my super strength in combat all the time now, but I don't see these people having a problem with medical ninjutsu."

"But it might be a good idea to just avoid using jutsu altogether until they accept us into their land." Kakashi said, "This is their country, and I can't blame them for not liking outsiders. They've remained independent since the beginning, and look at what it's gotten them. The port city alone was easily three times bigger than our Hidden Leaf Village. There's no telling how it the actual city will be, or how big the others will be. Granted, I won't be seeing them as soon as you."

"Hmm…you make a good point. Well, I suppose I could just stick to medicine for a while. It's slower, but it won't raise nearly as much suspicion as a blueish green aura surrounding my hands." Sakura said.

Kakashi nodded, "Indeed. Anyway, let's get back to the game."

Sakura nodded and played her hand, "Full house, Kakashi-Sensei."

Kakashi smiled behind his mask with his eye closed and flipped his cards over, "Four twos. I win."

Sakura growled and slid the deck over, "I swear you're cheating."

"All skill. No luck." Kakashi replied.

Sakura rolled her eyes, "Uh-huh. Sure."

While Sakura and Kakashi played their game, Naruto crawled out of the tent and stepped outside for a moment. Nature was calling him, so he went out several meters away from the camp site where he did his business. When he was finished, he zipped his pants back up and turned around to walk back to the camp, but felt he stepped on something that wasn't a rock a plot of sand. He looked down to see the sand started to shift and slowly reveal the body of a huge black snake that was slithering around him. He heard an aggressive hissing sound and looked up to see the snake was rising up to nearly three times his own height. It hissed at him aggressively, and opened its dewlap.

Naruto gulped nervously as he watched the snake, and slowly started to back away, " _That is one ginormous snake!_ "

Before he had a chance to do anything else, the snake struck at him with lightning speed. Naruto barely managed to dodge it, but the snake struck at him again, this time sinking its fangs into his thigh, making him shriek in unbearable pain. The snake then lifted him into the air, shook him violently, and threw him several meters through the air, crashing into Kakashi's tent.

Kakashi and Sakura rushed out as they heard the commotion and froze in fear at the sight before them. "Is that what I think it is?" Kakashi asked nervously.

"It's a Black Tongued Sand Serpent! No doubt about it!" Sakura said.

The gigantic snake took note of Sakura and Kakashi's presence, and started to slither its way to them. They immediately jumped back, keeping as much distance between the massive creature as possible.

Kakashi threw several kunai knives at the snake, but the snake dodged every single one of them and started to chase after him at increasable speed, catching Kakashi off guard at its speed. He quickly made a shadow clone to distract the snake, and it took the bait, biting his clone in half.

Sakura flanked the snake from behind and shot the snake several times with her crossbow, but the bolts bounced right off the snake's armored plating. It immediately turned and hissed at her, making her smile and laugh nervously as she realized she'd only pissed it off even more. The snake retaliated by spitting several shots of venom at her, which she barely dodged by cartwheeling and flipping out of the way. However, she had forgotten about the tail of the snake, and it swept the sand away under her arms, making her lose balance and fall on her back.

"Oh no! Sakura!" Kakashi yelled.

Sakura shook her head to clear her daze just in the nick of time to see the snake slithering towards her. It prepared to strike at her, and as it did, she rolled backwards, just missing the snake by a few millimeters. The snake continued to strike at her multiple times as she rolled along the ground. She managed to make her way back to her crossbow and grab it as she continued dodging the snake's attacks.

Kakashi made several shadow clones, and rushed the snake in a frontal assault. The snake noticed his ambush, and quickly turned its attention to him. It struck multiple clones with its fangs, and shot several others in the eyes with its venom, making them disappear instantly.

Sakura took this as her one chance, and threw several flares at the creature's eyes to act as flashbangs. The snake hissed and moved around as if it was blinded, and she took the moment to jump up and punch the snake as hard as she could, sending it flying several feet away. When it landed, it slithered around wildly for a moment before coming to rest.

Both Sakura and Kakashi panted out of breath, trying to get their heads wrapped around what just happened, but managed to regain their composure in just a few moments. Kakashi stared at the snake for a moment, then looked at Sakura, "Nice work, Sakura. Brilliant plan with those flares."

"Yeah, but that thing won't be down for long. Let's get Naruto and get the heck out of here!" Sakura said.

Kakashi nodded and looked around, "Speaking of Naruto…where the devil is he?"

"Oh, no... NARUTO! WHERE ARE YOU? NARUTO!" Sakura yelled.

Just then, they heard a noise coming from the destroyed tent and rushed over to it. When they saw Naruto's condition, Sakura froze and placed her hands over her mouth, and Kakashi stared in horror.

"This isn't good." Kakashi said.

Naruto, who was buried under a pile of debris, had a huge open wound in his upper thigh, and it looked as if his leg had nearly been ripped off. His eyes were closed tight, and his skin was turning blue from the poison that was already starting to take effect.

Sakura immediately cleared the debris off him, and stabbed some anti-venom in his shoulder. It was no cure for the snake's poison, but it would at least slow down its spread. She then gave him some morphine, and started healing his leg a little. However, she looked over her shoulder as she heard the snake hissing and started to panic. " _Oh, no, no, no, no! I need more time!_ "

The loud thrashing of the snake caught Kakashi's attention, and he turned to see it finally waking up after being knocked unconscious for a short time. Except, now it was extremely pissed off. It rolled over on its belly, and bashed its head through a boulder as it slithered around violently. It started to circle around the camp, then hissed aggressively as it came back for the former ninja, eager for its next meal.

With no other option, Sakura carried Naruto over her shoulders, and started to make a run for it out into the desert.

Kakashi followed closely behind, continuously making shadow clones to slow the snake down. His plan worked at first, but eventually the snake caught onto his plans. It dived beneath the sand and tunneled its way underground as it chased after them.

"Oh, terrific. Of course it would do that." Kakashi said sarcastically.

"Kakashi-sensei! We need a plan!" Sakura yelled.

"I know! I'm thinking of something as fast as I can!" Kakashi yelled back. He thought for a moment, then remembered something. "Sakura, the Red Desert is used for infantry training exercises that happen on a regular basis. Let's see if we can't lead this thing to a military outpost somewhere!"

"You really think that's a good idea? Outsiders leading this monstrosity to a military outpost doesn't sound like the greatest of plans to me!" Sakura yelled.

"I know, but it's our only chance! We have to get Naruto to a medic as soon as possible or he's done for!" Kakashi yelled back.

Sakura thought for a moment, then nodded at Kakashi, "Okay. I guess it's our only choice!"

Kakashi nodded in agreement, then looked behind him to see the snake was still hot on their trail.


	5. Apologies

I apologize for not uploading for a few weeks now. The story is not finished by any means, and will be back this weekend if nothing unexpected happens. Lately I've been focusing more on my actual book I plan to publish and it's almost done, and there has been some real life stuff getting in the way, too, especially with the changing of the seasons. My allergies are real bad this time of year and it makes it hard to concentrate when I'm constantly sniffing and sneezing. Winter can't get here fast enough, I swear.

To make up for the wait I'll be uploading a longer chapter than usual. I'm going to try and make it at least twenty Microsoft Word pages so you guys have a long read, and I'll be putting in some heavy NaruSaku moments as well...because...you know...the snake and all that. So, yeah.

I am very sorry for not uploading for a while, but rest assured that the story isn't canceled or forgotten about.

And please. If you're enjoying the story, please leave reviews. It inspires me to keep writing this story knowing people are reading it. Constructive criticism is welcome, too. I can't make myself a better writer if I don't hear some different opinions every once in a while. And if you have any ideas, please let me know. It may find its way into the story at some point.

That is all for now. Thank you for reading and your patience.


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